Luggage lock



Nov? 17, 1959 w. E. ATKINSON LUGGAGE LOCK Filed Dec. 20, 1957 ATTORNEYSLUGGAGE LOCK Wallace E. Atkinson, Petersburg, Va., assignor to LongManufacturing Company, Inc., Petersburg, Va., a corporation of Virginial Application December 20, 1957, Serial No. 704,127

3 Claims. (Cl. 70-75) The present invention relates in general toluggage locks for suitcases and other receptacles where two adja centseparable parts of a receptacle are to be held together along theirmeeting edges, and more particularly, to locks of this type having apivoted hasp and a manually operable push mechanism for releasing thelock.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel luggagelock of the pivoted hasp type which is of simple and novel constructionpermitting the lock to be economically manufactured with substantialsavings in tools, dies, production and assembly costs.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel hasplock and keeper assembly wherein the keeper is of one piece constructionand may be made in one operation on a progressive die.

Another object of the present invention is the provision f a novelluggage lock of the pivoted hasp type, wherein the hasp may be pivotallyassembled to its mounting plate Without the necessity of rolling themeeting edges of these elements to 'form hinge ears or employing aseparate rivet for hingedly connecting them.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelluggage lock of the pivoted hasp type wherein the lock works may beassembled with the hasp and the hasp pivotally assembled with itsmounting plate, in one operation, and may be resiliently retained inthis position by the biasing spring for the hasp.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelluggage lock of the pivoted hasp type wherein the hasp body may beformed from sheet metal in a novel manner to improve the appearancethereof and to effect concealment of the lock works from observationfrom the front of the lock.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detail description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating one preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective View of a luggage lock embodying the presentinvention, illustrating the same in locked condition on a fragmentarysuitcase section Wherein the hasp is interlocked with the keeper;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the luggage lock with I the hasp inopen or unlatched condition relative to the keeper;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the lock embodying thepresent invention; and

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section View taken along the line 44 of Figure l.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designatecorresponding parts throughout the several figures, the luggage lock ofthe present invention, indicated generally by the reference character10, comprises a hasp plate member 11 formed from sheet metal and havinga front wall 12 apertured at 13 to receive rivets 14 for mounting thehasp plate member onto the 2,912,844 Patented `Nov. 17, 1959 ice of thesuitcase lid 15 and form a hollow enclosure between these wallsv and thefront wall 12.

The hasp body 20 is likewise formed from sheet metal and has a frontWall 21, side walls 22, bottom wall 23, the side and bottom walls givingthe hasp an appearance of substantial thickness and forming with thefront wall 21 a rearwardly and upwardly opening, casing for thereception of the lockworks generally indicated at l24. The frontv wall21 of the hasp body 20 is provided with a key opening 25 surrounded byan embossed ring 26 to simulate the appearance of a rotary key cylinder.An integral tongue 27 projects upwardly from the upper edge of the frontwall 21 of the hasp body 2l) and has a pair of oppositely projectingears 28 extending from the lateral edges of the tongue 27 and a narrowtransversely extending slot 29 located at the center of thetongue 27. Anelongated box-like casing 36 formed from sheet metal is disposed withinthe hollow of the hasp body 2% to house a push member 31 for rectilinearsliding movement within the casing 30. The casing 3@ comprises a rearIwall 32, side walls 33 and a top wall 34, the forward edge of the topwall 34 having an integral extension projecting upwardly therefrom inthe plane of the free edges of the side walls 33 forming a mountingtongue 35 adapted to underlie the tongue 27 on the front wall 21 of thehasp body 20 and having a bendablelug 36 to be projected through theslot 29 and bent against the front surface of the tongue 27. Mountinglugs 37 project from the lower edge of the rear wall 32 of the casing31B through a slot in the bottom wall 23 of the hasp body 20. Thus, thecasing 30 is assembled to the hasp body 26` by means of the lugs 36 and37 projecting through the slot 29 in the tongue 27' and through a slotin the bottom wall 23. The push member 31 is essentially ofchannel-shaped construction and comprises a web 33 and a pair offorwardly projecting flanges 39 extending from the lateral edges of theweb 38. The surfaces of the Web 38 and flanges 39 conform closely to andare guided by the inner surfaces of the rear wall 32 and side walls 33of the casing 3l). An integral end wall 40 extends forwardly from thelower edge of the web 38 to the free edges or the flanges 39, and a widenger piece 41 projects downwardly from the forward edge of the end wall40 and through a slot 42 in the bottom wall 23 of the hasp body 20.

The web 38 of the vpush member 31 is provided with an intermediateopening 43 extending transversely entirely across the web 3S,.into whichprojects a latch tongue 44. The rear wall 32 of the casing 30 is alsoprovided with an opening 45 which substantially registers with theopening 43 when the push member 31 is at its lowermost position.

The side walls 33 of the casingStl are provided with laterally alignedopenings 46 formingguide surfaces for a laterally reciprocable bolt 47of conventional construction having the usual key follower surface 48,the bolt 47 being disposed transversely of the push member 31 and theanges 39 being cutaway to accommodate sliding movement of the pushmember 31 within the casing. A hairpin spring 48 has one leg bearingagainst the lower surface of the bolt 47 and another leg bearing againstthe shoulders 49 on the flanges 39 to continuously. urge the push member31 to its lowermost position within the casing 30.

The bottom wall i7 of the hasp plate member lll is provided with anopening 59 therein for receiving the lapped tongue 27 of the hasp bodyZtl and the mounting tongue 35 of the casing Si? therethrough. Theopening Si? has an enlarged portion 51 at the rcarmost edge of theOpening 5t? of sufficient width to permit the ears 28 of the tongue topass therethrough, the forward portions of the opening E@ beingconstricted laterally to define an opening corresponding substantiallyto the width of the neck portion of the tongue Accordingly, the widestportions of the tongues 27 and may be projected through the enlargedportion 51 of the opening 50 until the top edges of the front wall 2l ofthe hasp body 2@ abut the lower surface of the bottom wall i7 and thehasp body then projected forwardly so that the lateral bounding surfacesof the constricted portion of the opening 5d lie between the ears 28 ofthe tongue 27 and the upper edges of the front wall 2l. The hasp body ismaintained in this assembled relation with the hasp plate member lll bymeans ofthe bent flat spring 52, by projecting the bent portion 53 ofthe spring 52 upwardly into the opening Si) between the rear surface ofthe tongue and the rear edge of the opening 5t). The rear edge of theopening Si) is relieved along the central portion thereof to provide anotch 5d extending the width of the spring 52, and the rear leg 55 ofthe spring 52 is provided with a curved end S6 adapted to seat on theedge of the notch 54. The front leg S7 of the spring 52 is bowedforwardly at the lower edge of the tongue 27 and the bent portion 53bears against the front wall 'i12 when the spring is fully projectedinto the position illus rated in Figure 4 so that the free end of theleg 57 lies against the mounting tongue 35 of the casing 3@ to urge thehasp body 2B outwardly. The spring 52 serves the dual function ofretaining the tongue 27' of the hasp body 2lb against the forward edgeof the opening 50 in the hasp plate member ll and to resiliently biasthe hasp body Ztl in clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4, to theopen position illustrated in Figure 2. The interconnection between thehasp body 2@ and hasp plate member ll formed by the tongue 2? andopening Si) serve to pivot the hasp body for limited rotation about atransverse aXis lying in the plane of the bottom wall i7 of the haspplate member ll and located at the front edge of the opening 56".

The body 20 is adapted to cooperate with a keeper member 5S formed ofintegral piece of sheet metal and having a dat mounting plate portion 59adapted to be secured to the lower section 6G of the suitcase and anoutwardly projecting strike portion 6l dehning a hollow foraccommodating the latch tongue 4d. The strike 6i is adapted to beprojected through the opening 45 in the casing 3i) when the hasp body ispivoted downwardly from the open position of Figure 2 to the closedposition of Figure l and the surfaces of the latch tongue and of thestrike 6l which engages the latch tongue #i4 when the hasp body isshifted to closed position are shaped to cooperate to force the pushmember 3l upwardly against the bias of the spring 48' and permit thelatch tongue d to pass inwardly of the lip 62 of the strike 6l. Thelatch tongue is then projected downwardly by the spring to seat withinthe cavity formed by the strike @l and retain the hasp body 2@ in thelocked position of Figure 4. The bolt i7 has an offset lug i7 strucktherein which is positioned so as to be spaced laterally of the adjacentshoulder Iig at the top of the right llange 39 of the push member 3l,viewed in Figure 3, when in unl flied position. but wn. h is disposed inthe path of oulder 45t when the bolt is shifted laterally to the vlockedposition to prevent upwardly displacement of the push Tiber from thelatching position illustrated in r e fr. en the bolt 47' is in unlatchedposition, the hasp body be released from the keeper by pushing upwardlyon the finger piece il to displace the push member 3l upwardly withinthe casing i 30 and withdraw the latch tongue 44 from the strike 61.Upon withdrawal of the latch tongue 44 from the strike 6i, the spring 52will then shift the hasp body 20 outwardly about its pivotal connectionwith the hasp plate member il to the position illustrated in Figure 2.

While only one preferred embodiment of the invention has beenparticularly shown and described, it is apparent that othermodifications may be made in the invention without departing from thespirit and scope thereof, and it is desired, therefore, that only suchlimitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art andare set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A luggage lock comprising a hasp plate member in the form of arearwardly opening casing adapted to be ahxed to a luggage lid, a keeperadapted to be affixed to a luggage base having a portion projectingoutwardly therefrom, a hasp member having an upwardly projecting,substantially planar tongue integrally formed at the upper end thereofprovided with oppositely projecting ears at the lateral edges of saidtongue and having a slotted lower end portion, lock works fixed to saidhasp member and lying inwardly therefrom comprising a push member havingan integral linger piece projecting below the hasp member, a box-likecasing housing the push member having surfaces guiding the push memberfor rectilinear reciprocal movement vertically of the hasp member, lugmeans projecting from the lower end of said box-like casing through theslot in the lower end portion of said hasp member for securing saidcasing to said lower end portion, said box-like casing having anupwardly projecting tongue conforming at its upper end substantially tothe shape of said hasp member tongue and disposed in underlying relationthereto, said hasp plate member including a bottom wall having anelongated opening therein extending transversely of the hasp platemember and including a rearwardly disposed enlarged portion ofsuilicient size to permit the ears of said hasp member tongue and saidcasing tongue to pass upwardly therethrough and a forwardly disposedconstricted portion having lateral bounding surfaces spaced to extendbeneath the ears of said tongues and form a pivotal support for the haspmember, spring means extending between the rear edge of said opening andthe rear surface of said casing tongue for resiliently positioning saidtongues in intimate abutment with each other and in the constrictedportion of said opening and continuously urging said hasp memberoutwardly about its pivotal support and away from said keeper, said pushmember and said box-like casing having substantially aligned aperturesfor accommodating the projecting p0rtion of said keeper therein and saidpush member having means associated with its aperture for selectivelyinterlocking with said projecting portion of said keeper, and resilientmeans for continuously urging said push member downwardly to project theinterlocking means thereof into interlocking relation with theprojecting portion of said keeper.

2. A luggage lock, comprising a hasp plate member adapted to be aihxedto a luggage lid and having a front wall and rearwardly projecting side,top and bottom walls, a keeper adapted to be alxed to the luggage basehaving an outwardly projecting strike, a hasp member having a front walland rearwardly projecting bottom and side walls forming a rearwardlyopening housing, said hasp member bottom wall having a slot therein, atongue formed integral with said hasp member front wall and projectingupwardly in the plane of said front wall, said tongue having oppositelyprojecting ears at the lateral edges thereof spaced from the upper edgeof said hasp member front wall, lock works disposed rearwardly of saidhasp member front Wall and disposed within said hasp member housingcomprising a vertically elongated push member having an integral ngerpiece projecting through said hasp member bottom wall to an exposedposition therebelow, a box-like casing housing said push member having arear wall spaced rearwardly from and paralleling said hasp member frontwall and side walls projecting forwardly into abutment with said haspmember front wall, said rear and side walls of said casing beingdisposed in abutment with surfaces of said push member to guide the pushmember for rectilinear reciprocative movement vertically of said haspmember, lug means projecting from the lower end of said boxlike casinginto the slot in said hasp member bottom wall for removably anchoringthe casing to said hasp member bottom wall and said box-like casinghaving an upwardly projecting tongue conforming at its upper endsubstantially to the shape of said hasp member tongue and disposed inunderlying, aligned relation with the latter, the bottom wall of saidhasp plate member having an elongated opening therein extendingtransversely of the hasp plate member and including a wider rear portionof sufficient width to permit the ears of said hasp member tongue andsaid casing tongue to pass upwardly therethrough and a narrower forwardportion having bounding lateral -surfaces spaced to extend beneath theears of said hasp member tongue and form a pivotal support for the haspmember, a recurved at spring having the curved portion thereof projectedupwardly through said opening with the legs thereof compressed betweenthe rear edge of said opening and said hasp member and casing tongues toresiliently position said tongues in the narrower portion of saidopening, the curved portion of said spring projecting upwardly into saidhasp plate member and bearing against the front wall thereof and saidspring having a depending extension for continuously biasing said haspmember for rotation about its pivotal support with said hasp platemember in a direction away from said keeper, said push member and saidcasing having strike-accommodating apertures therein, said push memberhaving a latch member projecting into its said aperture to interlockwith the keeper strike when the strike projects into saidstrike-accommodating apertures, and spring means in said casing forresiliently urging said push member downwardly to project said latchmember into interlocked relation with the keeper strike projectingthrough the strike-accommodating apertures.

3. A luggage lock, comprising a hasp plate member adapted to be aixed toa luggage lid and having a front wall and rearwardly projecting side,top and bottom walls, a keeper adapted to be aflixed to the luggage basehaving an outwardly projecting strike, a hasp member having a front walland rearwardly projecting bottom and side walls forming a rearwardlyopening housing, a tongue formed integral with said hasp member frontwall and projecting upwardly in the plane of said front wall, saidtongue having oppositely projecting ears at the lateral edges thereofspaced from the upper edge of said hasp member front wall, lock worksdisposed rearwardly of said hasp member front wall and disposed withinsaid hasp member housing comprising a channel-shaped, verticallyelongated push member having an integral finger piece projecting throughsaid hasp member bottom wall to an exposed position therebelow, avertically elongated, rectangular box-like casing housing said pushmember having a rear wall spaced rearwardly from and paralleling saidhasp member front wall and side walls f projecting forwardly intoabutment with said hasp member front wall, said rear and side walls ofsaid casing being disposed in abutment with the web and iianges of saidpush member to guide the push member for rectilinear reciprocativemovement vertically of said hasp member, lugs projecting from the lowerend of said box-like casing for anchoring the same to said hasp memberbottom wall and said casing having an upwardly projecting tongueconforming at its upper end substantially to the shape of said haspmember tongue and anchored to said hasp member tongue in underlyingrelation thereto, the bottom wall of said hasp plate member having anelongated opening therein extending transversely of the hasp platemember and including a wider rear portion of sucient width to permit theears of said hasp member tongue and said casing tongue to pass upwardlytherethrough and a tnarrower forward portionl having bounding lateralsurfacesspaced to extend beneath the ears of said hasp member tongue andform a pivotal support for the hasp member, a recurved flat springhaving the curved portion thereof projected upwardly through saidopening into abutment with the front wall of said hasp plate member withthe legs thereof compressed between the rear edge of said opening and-said hasp member tongue to resiliently position said tongue in thenarrower portion of said opening, a leg of said spring having adownwardly projecting extension bearing against the front wall thereoffor continuously biasing said hasp member for rotation about its pivotalsupport with said hasp plate member in a direction away from saidkeeper, said push member and said casing having strike-accommodatingapertures therein, said push member having a latch member projectinginto its said aperture to interlock with the keeper strike when thestrike projects into said strike-accommodating apertures, spring meansin said casing for resiliently urgingsaid push member downwardly toproject said latch member into interlocked relation with the keeperstrike projecting through the strike-accommodating apertures, and areciprocable, key-operable lock bolt supported in said casing having aportion selectively projectable into the path of said push member to barupward movement of said push member from a keeper interlocking positionthereof.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

